By Kofi BOAKYE and B. A. OKYERE, the Patriotic Democrats
In the last few days, Ghana has been plunged into chaotic cacophony as there is a clarion call for the President
to remove from office; the Minister for Finance, Ken Ofori – Atta. It all begun when ordinary people started
lamenting about general hardship brought about by escalating prices of daily consumables. To them and many
others; Krom ay3 hot!
Then entered, as the heat kept gathering; some 88 Members of Parliament of the NPP family. This move by the
MPs shocked the entire nation. A section of the public hailed them while others condemned the act. There were
another group of persons who did not believe at all that 88 members of Parliament could brace themselves up to
that courage and come out publicly to make a demand on the President to sack the Finance Minister.
*Shocking Revelation By Minister For Parliamentary Affairs*
In recent interviews however, following the dramatic move by 88 MPs calling for the crucifixion of the Finance
Minister, the Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Hon. Osei Kyei Mensah – Bonsu made a startling revelation.
He said it was just even the 88 MPs who were calling for the resignation or removal of Ken Ofori – Atta from
Office, but also all Ministers and Deputy Ministers appointed by the President.
*Performance Barometer of MPs, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Other Governmentt Appointees*
In the wake of this political turmoil which has hit the chest of the elephant family; one would have expected
them to have collectively sat and evaluated the situation and come out with tangible and workable economic
solutions to the malaise plaguing this country. Yet, throughout this period, nobody and it must be stressed again;
nobody has called for a review of economic policy to help salvage whatever challenges Ghana is currently
confronted with. All we have heard is the oft-repeated import substitution theories we have known for decades
but refused to practice.
The economy of this country is not solely planned and its policies implemented by Ken Ofori – Atta. He is but
part of the team which plans for the economy. In the run up to the 2016 general elections, various speakers
spoke to the general public on specific sectors of the Ghanaian economy. The plethora of voices who struggled
to be heard during the final campaign at the Ghana International Trade Fair Centre have gone dumb, can’t see
and o yes cannot speak. Like little children learning the rudiments of speaking, they have, sad to say, joined the
singers of the refrain; Crucify Ken Ofori-Atta. The Finance Minister is but an integral part of that same team
which gets things implemented. His is policy direction and formulation….. So we have a Minister of Economic
and Financial Planning. The implementation is the preserve of those calling for his crucifixion. So why shift all
the blame and economic woes onto him? The major question then is: what would the dismissal of Ofori-Atta
bring or do for Ghana? What different direction would the economy pursue if he's sacked, dismissed, censured
or he resigns?
The Ministry of Finance which Ken Ofori – Atta, heads is an integral part of an entire body which oversees the
activities of the Ghana as a whole. When one joint is weakened or malfunctions, that affects the ability and
efficiency with which the entire machinery functions.
Ghana, like any other nation, works through well greased and functional wheels whose collective energies are
eventually converged at a confluence where positive results are expected.
So if the Minister for Lands Abu Jinapor is still at post in the face of the naked rape of our forest zones and
destruction of our rivers bodies; if the Minister for roads, Hon. Amoako Atta is still there having tarred almost
all roads in his constituency when Dome-Kwabenya the largest constituency in the country has extremely poor
roads why should that be blamed on only one person?
Again the Minister for Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah is literally seen supervising and watching over a
Director of Keta earning thousands of cedis though the Director of Keta port manages no port. As the lists count,
the Minister for Agric, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto is busy pushing his desire to become president when the policy
of planting for food and jobs has become almost a mirage with prices of food on the market skyrocketing.
Where is Mr. Alan Kwadwo Kyeremanteng? He's the Minister for Trade and Industry, right? What is the
situation of trade in this country? Prices keep shooting up indiscriminately on daily basis. Has he even stepped
out to the market space to personally interact with the importers, exporters, wholesalers and retailers to find out
what their problems are? The least said about the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum and the
operations at his Ministry the better. Even mundane things such as vacation and re-opening dates for schools has
become rocket science with teachers, parents and guardians scratching their heads in bewilderment. Money
provided by the Ministry of Finance was in the wisdom of the Education ministry spent to acquire past questions
when schools lacked textbooks…. But o he is one of those calling for the dismissal of the Finance Minister, we
understand. The Minister for Communications, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekufful is also at post in spite of high
internet charges and phone calls.
One can go through the Ministerial portfolios appointments made by H. E Nana Akufo Addo and ask those
shouting out loud calling for Ken Ofori- Atta's resignation whether in the deepest corners of their hearts they
sincerely and honestly believe they are all performing creditably to bring a balance in the economy to the
benefits of the ordinary Ghanaian on the street save Ken Ofori-Atta?
Can they be challenged in their own conscience and stand before Ken Ofori Atta and tell him the annual
Ministerial budgets they have been submitting since they took power were or are not bloated? Would a value for
money audit confirm their integrity or expose them as the cause of Ken Ofori – Atta's periodic budget wahala?
*Can the MPs Cast First Stone at Ofori-Atta?*
With regards to the MPs, the reason why they have powers is that the constitution allows them to exercise
oversight responsibility over the Executive. Yes! That makes them powerful. It can't be said they are overly
powerful but they are powerful to the extent that they can even impeach any sitting President and force him out
of office.
It is however generally perceived within the general public space that these MPs who assert themselves as white
as the snow are usually parted with handshakes for every facility approved by them in Parliament. Former MP,
P. C Appiah Ofori had had the occasion to expose his colleagues to this allegation and none of them has been
able to gather the courage to challenge him. In fact if they are to be marked on the score sheet of 10 they can't
make it. They have totally failed to effectively execute their constitutionally mandated jobs because they have
allowed receiving of “gifts” to rule their minds so how can they cast the first stone at Ken Ofori – Atta? Are they
not also to blame or have a hand in the state of our present economy?
Most Ghanaians felt scandalised when a leader in parliament was travelling outside for treatment and yet
demanded to be paid per diem for as long as he stayed outside the country for medical treatment. The several
facilities be it loans, bonds etc have all received overwhelming parliamentary support. Or they were not fully
appraised of the facts or were bamboozled by quotes from the bible? To ask for Ofori Atta's dismissal or
resignation is a cowardly attempt to hide their own gargantuan failures and they should bow their heads down in
shame.
In conclusion we are all witnesses to the following stark facts: For all the wahalas of Ken Ofori Atta, salaries
due government employees have always been paid. His Ministry has been able to feed the largest number ever
in Senior High Schools in the history of the nation.
Years back when the free education was designed only for those in the northern parts of the country threat of
closing schools for lack of food occurred every academic year. So the occasional glitches in supply of food to
SHS does not signal a collapse of the system.
The Bible tells a story of the Chief Priest and his collaborators including the High Priest who asked Herod to
crucify Jesus Christ and release unto them a man jailed for murder. Are the saints of today treading the same
pathway?
